ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has witnessed a abrupt escalation in violence over the past three months, indicated by a surge in militant attacks and intensified counter-terrorism operations, according to a new report released by the Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).
In this regard, the think tank recorded a 46 per cent increase in fatalities including civilians, security personnel, and militants compared to the previous quarter.
The total of 901 deaths and 599 injuries were reported from 329 incidents of violence, encompassing both terrorist attacks and security operations.
The CRSS warned that 2025 is on course to become one of the deadliest years in a decade, potentially surpassing 2024, which had already been the most violent year in recent years.
Furthermore, as per the data, 2,414 deaths were recorded in the first nine months of 2025 — just shy of the 2,546 fatalities reported throughout 2024.
This represents a 58 per cent rise compared to the 1,527 deaths documented during the same period last year.
Moreover, the report also mentioned an important shift in the sources of fatalities. In 2024, terrorist attacks accounted for 1,022 deaths, while security operations were responsible for 505, roughly a third of total casualties.
On the other hand, during 2025, security operations have caused 1,265 deaths, constituting more than half of all fatalities.
In addition, the resurgence in violence follows a steady increase in militant activity since the withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan in 2021.
The government has repeatedly accused the Taliban government in Kabul of providing shelter to militants from the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a claim the Afghan administration denies.
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The United Nations has also cautioned that Afghanistan has become a “permissive environment” for extremist networks.
